2 Kings 8 - 2.21.25

Scripture: 2 Kings 8:3-6

3 At the end of the seven years she came back from the land of the Philistines and went to appeal to the king for her house and land. 4 The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, “Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done.”5 Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to appeal to the king for her house and land.

Gehazi said, “This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” 6 The king asked the woman about it, and she told him.

Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, “Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.”

Observations:

The woman and her family had obeyed Elisha’s warning and went to the land of the Philistines to escape the famine. The woman’s land had been taken during their absence. She may have been wondering,  “Why did this bad thing happen.? We obeyed God.”

However, she did not sit and sulk. She went to the king.  God had a perfect plan to give her even more than she was asking for.  She arrived at the very moment Gehazi was telling the King about “the servant of God” and how he had raised the dead back to life. This is her story. The King asked her to tell it. 

Then the king assigned an official to her case giving her back everything they belonged to her, even the income her land earned!

God always prepares the perfect way for us. It may look like our obedience cost us or even put us in a place of peril.  However, we can go to the King of Kings and make our plea. He will restore or give us even better. If we continue to walk through a hard time, He uses it to teach and prepare us. 

Nothing would have happened if she did not make an appeal.  It can be hard to step out and speak to those in authority. The king gave her an advocate to get back what was hers.  An extra blessing, she had someone to do the hard work for her. Whoever had her land could not argue with the official. Especially when told to give back the income her land had earned. 

Application:

I have seen God do divine appointments. I end up at the right place at the right time.  But during hard times, it is easy to be distracted and forget all that God had done or believe that He will do more. 

This stood out to me because God is always looking out for us and setting up encounters like this.  Most of the time we may not even recognize it. 

It takes our being and bold. She had to go to the king. We know she and her family were farmers, not nobles. Also, the obvious - she was a woman!  They were not business people in that day.  Still she went to make her appeal.  She wanted for her family the land that had been theirs for generations. 

I want to not shy away from taking action. It usually requires stepping out of my comfort zone. Even as RK shared on Sunday, we may be going among the wolves.  God will direct my path and have the best prepared as I follow Him. 

Prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for all you have done in my life. Just like the Shunammite, there have been miracles. You are not done. Please help me to continue to press in, push through after a time of famine and make an appeal to the one who can bring about the change needed. You have prepared a path for me, people to tell my story to. Please help me to look for those you have for me to speak to and go where you’ve called me to go. Your ways are amazing. Thank you Lord. May I shine Your light.  Amen

- Cindy Howard

Psalms 20 - 02.20.25

SCRIPTURE :Psalms 20:7 NIV

“Some trust in their chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

‭‭

OBSERVATION

This is a Psalm of David, and what beautiful lessons we glean here.

A Psalm of Great Encouragement for a battle that King David is being sent off to face.

There is ONE name that commands ALL power in heaven and on earth.

God puts high value on His name because it represents His character and reputation. To evoke the name of ""the God of Jacob"" is to call on HIS power and majesty.

To trust in God's name— is to trust in Him.

David, the king of Israel, was intimately acquainted with the power of God's name.

So were the people of Israel. In this interesting Psalm, the people and the king had come together to call on God's name in prayer—and—to proclaim their trust IN HIM.

APPLICATION

Jesus is The SAME, Yesterday, TODAY, and FOREVER

We still face battles. In ancient times when the enemy would advance with their chariots and horses—the loud sounds of whipping, and rattling, and rumbling of the wheels along with the hooves of the thousands of horses racing down were enough to cause horrific fear and trembling. The earth literally shook.

Though we don’t face Horses and Chariots we CAN still experience the “earth shaking” under our feet spiritually.

And we have all had Or currently are facing battles that “appear in the natural” to be overpowering and overwhelming.

But even as a very young Shepherd, David knew as he faced Goliath that any GIANT (no matter how seemingly terrifying) was NO match for God. (1 Samuel 17: 45-49).

In psalm 20, we also see the importance of Intercessor Prayer support. The entire believing community has come together praying and believing for Victory THROUGH God.

Some Trust in Chariots, their money, power, or influence.

But, we as believers place our Trust in God, Alone.

If we are seeking God’s will for our life, If we are living by His word and Holy Spirit,

If we are daily praying and yielding our lives to HIS Lordship,

Then—Like David we can be confident—of Victory-

TRUSTING in the NAME of JESUS.

“Now this I know:

The Lord gives victory to His anointed.

HE answers him from his heavenly sanctuary

with the Victorious Power of His right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

They are brought to their knees and fall,

but we rise up and stand firm.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭20‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Blessings of Psalm 20 apply to us; He is a refuge and a fortress that surrounds us (Psalm 91) a very Present help in time of need (Psalm 46:1)) When our prayers are in alignment with Him, He answers our prayers and gives us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4).

PRAYER

LORD JESUS,

Thank You for saving knowledge in who YOU are. The God of Jacob, The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, The Sovereign Authority over ALL. If God is for us who can ever stand against. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, Thank You for Your Word that is Truth and Life, Power and Authority to strike down the enemy and be Your Witness.

Thank You for All You are doing in and through Desert Streams. Here we are, Lord, send us to Santa Clarita and beyond. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Tina L Kudelka

2 Kings 6 - 2.19.25

Scripture

Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16)

Observation

The king of Aram suspected that there was an Israeli mole within his closest circle of advisors! How else could every plan that was made in top secret to attack Israel, be made known to the king of Israel? Whichever route of attack they planned and executed, they always found the army of Israel waiting for them, well-prepared for the attack. The king of Aram was enraged. “Who among you is the Israeli spy?” he asked (2 Kings 6:11).  He eventually found out from his own soldiers that there was no spy. Instead, there was a prophet of God in Israel (Elisha) who would reveal every plan made and every word uttered by the King of Aram in his secret chambers to the King of Israel! (2 Kings 6:12)

The King of Aram sent an army to capture the prophet. The servant of the prophet looked outside and saw their home surrounded by horses and chariots and was terrified. Elisha comforted his servant saying, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them”.

Elisha prayed that God would open his servant’s eyes. The Lord answered his prayer, and opened the servant’s eyes. He saw that their house was surrounded by angelic warriors on chariots and horses of fire. God protected Elisha and gave Israel a supernatural victory that day.

Application

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them (Psalms 24:7). The Lord is our defense (Psalms 94:22, 89:18). The Lord fights for us (Exodus 14:14). The battle belongs to the Lord (Deut 20:4, 1 Sam 17:47, 2 Chron 20:15). Having the Lord with us makes us the majority. One thousand may fall on one side, and ten thousand on the other side, but it will not come near us (Psalms 91:17). Though an army may encamp against us, we will not fear, and though war may rise against us, we will be confident (Psalms 27:3). They might come at us from one direction but will flee from us in seven (Deut 28:7).

No matter what the opposition we are facing today, our God is bigger than that. No weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). We are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37). The Bible continually exhorts us not to fear. God is with us. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). He has promised to be with us always to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

Prayer

Dear Father, thank you because you are always with me. Lord Jesus, thank you because you are Emmanel, God with me. Thank you for your promise that you will never leave me, nor forsake me (Heb 13:5). Thank you because you are my defense.  You fight for me. You have commanded your angels concerning me, to guard me in all my ways (Psalms 91:11).

Help me to cling on to you in the middle of adversity and opposition, knowing that you will deliver me when I cling onto you (Psalms 91:14, NAB). Thank you because you are faithful. Thank you because in you, I am more than a conqueror.

Father, I commit everything I am up against at your feet. I know I can trust you. I know you will deliver me. I know that you are the lifter of my head (Psalms 3:3). By you, I will run against a troop, by my God I will jump over a wall (Psalms 18:29). I receive my victory in Jesus’s name. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George